Alcohol & Drug Use

Alcohol and Drug Use

Is this your 1st year in college or are you coming back? Either way we are sure you are excited about the year ahead here at IT Sligo.

IT Sligo understands that alcohol can play a role in the college social life. However, there are many ways to ensure your consumption of alcohol does not get out of control and impact on your college life and experience.
IT Sligo has developed an Alcohol Policy which outlines the ethos of the college in relation to the welfare of students; the purpose of the policy is to proactively raise awareness of the consequences related to the harmful use of alcohol in order to prevent ill-effects to students and those around them.

The Policy aims to:

Prevent harm and possible consequences to students of IT Sligo in relation to alcohol misuse and alcohol dependence,

Raise Awareness of alcohol related issues and encourage the participation of all institute members in implementing the alcohol policy,

Provide supportive services to those who may require assistance during their time at IT Sligo,

Promote and support healthy lifestyle choices and alternatives to alcohol use and availability within I.T. Sligo.

IT Sligo believes in an integrated approach, with policy measures that encourage those who consume alcohol to treat alcohol with due regard for its effects and to moderate their consumption. Students must take personal responsibility for their alcohol consumption habits and consequences if excess alcohol consumption occurs.

Our Policy measures include:

Promoting an increased awareness and education throughout the academic year regarding safe alcohol use e.g. through completion of ePUB survey,

Encourage alternative choices to alcohol,

Provide access to support services on and off the campus,

Monitor alcohol marketing, promotions, and sponsorship on campus grounds and within clubs and societies.

Low-Risk Weekly Guidelines for Adults

The consumption of alcohol should be spaced out over the week and not consumed in one sitting. Drinking more than the safe levels may cause harm.

Remember: These weekly limits do not apply to teenagers or to people who are pregnant, ill, run-down, or on certain medications. It is healthier for teenagers not to drink alcohol.

What is Binge Drinking?

Binge drinking is 6 or more standard drinks in one sitting. Binge drinking is a form of harmful drinking that is likely to increase the risk of accidents, injuries, violence, and poisoning. (HSE, 2016)

3 pints of beer in one sitting

6 small glasses of wine per sitting

6 shots of spirits per sitting

How does alcohol affect me?

Short-Term Effects

Disrupted sleep

Causes anxiety and stress

Causes memory loss and blackouts

Contributes to mood changes

Causes sweats and shakes

Blurred vision

Headache

Loss of appetite

Slower reflexes

Impaired judgement

Diarrhoea

Nausea

Bad skin/Acne

Weight gain

Long-Term Effects

Alcohol dependency

High blood pressure

Liver disease

Specific cancers

Mental health issues

Sexual health problems

Heart disease

Stomach ulcers

Osteoporosis

Pancreatitis

Stroke

Dementia

Differences in Types of Drinkers

Social drinkers are those who enjoy and get pleasure from consumption of alcohol. The key to their pattern of consumption are choice and balance. The state they desire is relaxation, with a little release of inhibition. These types of drinkers will not consume alcohol when they encounter stress in life or if they need to give optimal performance.

Habitual drinkers may misuse alcohol to achieve a quick state of relaxation. They may not view it as a way of achieving emotional change. Their drink consumption can impact on their ability to drive, work and even their personal relationships.

Benefits of Reducing your Alcohol Intake

Improved Mental Health

Alcohol can play a role in the development of mental health issues, and can make existing problems worse. Taking alcohol when you are anxious or stressed to improve your mood, can have the opposite effect. If you often feel low after drinking, try to reduce your alcohol intake and keep a diary to track any changes in how you feel.

Better Long Term Physical Health.

Cutting down on the amount of alcohol you drink will reduce your risk of developing serious health issues such as cancer, liver, or heart disease.

Improved Appearance

Alcohol has a high calorie content, therefore regularly drinking alcohol increases your calorie intake. A pint of beer that is 4.5% alcohol contains 210 calories so drinking five pints will add over 1,000 calories to your caloric intake. Alcohol also dehydrates the body which can leave your skin looking dull. Cutting down on your alcohol intake can help you maintain a healthy weight and appearance.

Improved Energy levels

Alcohol can affect your sleeping patterns, resulting in you having less energy. By reducing how much, and how often you consume alcohol, you will see a significant difference in your energy levels.

Saves Money

Nights out are costly especially as a student. Cutting down on drinking alcohol saves money.

Alcoholism

Alcoholism is the dependent relationship of a person on alcohol in expectation of a rewarding experience. Social factors and psychological factors may affect the development of alcohol problems. This dependence can vary from person to person in terms of the duration, the pattern of alcohol use , appearance of symptoms, and physical addictions.

Symptoms of Alcohol Dependence

Elevated Tolerance; the person has seemingly normal functioning after what would be a highly toxic amount of alcohol for a non-drinker. There is a need to increase the amount of alcohol for the desired effect.

Blackouts; temporary memory loss due to excessive alcohol consumption. This may happen on a regular basis.

Euphoric Recall; comes from the initial relaxing feeling during consumption of alcohol. It provides enjoyment despite the negative consequences it causes.

Loss of Choice; increased tolerance and an emotional compulsion leads to the loss of choice and control over alcohol consumption.

When does alcohol become a problem?

A crucial part of developing a harmful dependence is that the person begins to accept regular heavy drinking, even if the person has never had issues with alcohol before. This can be triggered by excessive use of alcohol in the face of stress and difficult times.

Social Effects of Alcoholism

Falling out with friends or family,

Risk of losing your job,

Increased risk of health risk behaviours such as drink driving,

Risk of inappropriate sexual behaviours or unwanted sexual behaviour,

Increased risk of family issues such as marital break-up, domestic violence,

Useful links

Substance and Drug Misuse

College years can be the most exciting time of your life; involving a new social scene, new friends, new night life etc. This new life can sometimes expose you to a range of substances. Peer pressure to fit in can be a factor in your decision to take drugs or not. It is important to know the facts about these substances.

Misuse of Drugs and Substances can impact on;

Mental health

Physical health

Academic performance

Relationships

Mood

Wellbeing

Occasional use of such substances can slowly turn into addiction, which can become a very serious problem for individuals and those who are directly connected to the person.

Commonly used Drugs

Drugs and Mental Health

Most people take drugs to enhance their mood (to get “a buzz”). In doing so they are also altering necessary chemicals that flow in the brain. This can be dangerous to that persons mental health, both immediate and in the future. Long term use of Cannabis & Marijuana, for example, can lead to severe depression. Particularly if there is a tendency to suffer from depression or have a family history of the same. Continued use of these drugs may have a role in precipitating the onset of Schizophrenia; a very serious mental illness with extremely heightened levels of paranoia. Other effects of psychoactive drugs include delusions, panic attacks, even permanent brain damage or, at its most extreme, death.

Drugs such a Cannabis, Alcohol and Ecstasy have the ability to affect your mood. The changes in your mood are caused by the interference of the drug in the chemical balance in your brain

Short term effects of drugs on mental health

All psychoactive drugs can cause the following mental health issues when you take them and as you clear them from your system;

Anxiety

Mood swings

Depression

Sleep problems

Psychosis

Drug Induced Anxiety Disorder

This may include;

Moments of severe anxiety where you may find your heart rate rapidly increasing

Panic attacks

Shortness of breath

Sweats

Trembling

A fear of loss of control

Drug Induced Psychosis

This may include;

Delusions; where you believe things that are not true

Hallucinations; seeing or hearing things that are not there

Drug Induced Mood Disorder

Generally caused by drugs such as Cocaine, Heroin, Methadone, Amphetamines. This may involve feelings of the following: